Text Bulletin 1500 hrs

Prime Minister has emphasized long term planning to fulfill future energy requirement of the country.

The Senate has been informed that no discrimination is being made with any province in distribution of electricity.

Minister for Climate Change says government will continue to collaborate with UNDP on climate change issues.

The joint resistance leadership has said India has completely failed in crushing the people's revolt in Occupied Kashmir.

Afghan President has urged Taliban to give up insurgency and join political process.

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PM CCE

Cabinet Committee on Energy in its meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday accorded in-principle approval for establishment of a new LNG based 1,200 MW capacity power plant.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif chaired the meeting.

The Prime Minister emphasized that pro-active planning should be exercised regarding power supply and demand.

He directed the Ministry of Water and Power to undertake power supply and demand analysis till the year 2023 so as to undertake integrated long-term planning with regard to fulfilling energy requirements of the country over the foreseeable future.

Nawaz Sharif also directed to work out shifting of scheduled outages of power plants on account of repairs and maintenance from summer season to winter season so that maximum power is provided when most required during months of peak power demand.

The CCE meeting unanimously approved that no power shutdowns be carried out on account of development works during Ramzan.

SENATE

The Senate continued discussion on the budgetary proposals for the next fiscal year on Tuesday.

Participating in the debate, Samina Abid said that the budget carries no relief for common man. She said no programme has been given in the budget for the welfare of children and women.

Hari Ram said five percent quota reserved for non-Muslims is not being implemented in letter and spirit.

Kalsoom Parveen congratulated the Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and his team for their hard work in budget preparation.

Khalida Parveen termed the budget as gimmickry of words.

SENATE CALLING ATTENTION

Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali says no discrimination is being made with any province regarding distribution of electricity.

He was responding to a calling attention notice in the Senate moved by Nauman Wazir Khattak and others regarding the underutilization of power by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The Minister said the federal government had released 540 million rupees for the construction of 220 KV grid station at Chakdara. He said the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government took four years in acquiring land which delayed the project. He said 6500 megawatt of additional electricity has been added to the national grid and more will be added in days to come.

Responding to another calling attention notice Abid Sher Ali said about 66 civilians have so far been martyred and 228 injured, as a result of unprovoked Indian firing on Line of Control during last four years.

The chair referred the matter to the Standing Committee concerned for getting more information and deliberation.

The House will now meet on Wednesday morning at 11.

NA-TANVIR:

Speaking in the National Assembly Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanvir Hussain urged the opposition to participate in the budget discussion, saying their genuine proposals will be accommodated in the finance bill.

The Minister said the opposition should sit with the government and formulate a charter of economy for a brighter and prosperous Pakistan.

PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the government should present its stance on the latest Middle East crisis.

NA-DEBATE

Participating in the debate, Amra Khan said special training centers should be set up for disabled people to help them stand on their own feet.

Maulana Gohar Shah said Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal is doing an excellent work for the disadvantaged segments of the society. He said an amount of six billion rupees has been allocated this year for the department.

Earlier, the opposition staged a walkout from the house for not giving live coverage to their speeches.

Abdul Ghaffar Dogar said subsidy on fertilizers should be further enhanced to provide relief to the farmers.

Siraj Muhammad Khan said merit should be ensured in the recruitment process.

Malik Muhammad Uzair Khan said the budget is development-oriented as forty percent increase has been made in the PSDP for the next fiscal year.

He also appreciated the steps taken by the government to eliminate the power outages.

ZAHID

Minister for climate Change Zahid Hamid has said that the government will continue to collaborate with United Nations Development Program on Climate Change issues.

He was talking to United Nations Resident Coordinator and United Nation Development Program representative in Pakistan Neil Buhne in Islamabad on Tuesday.

The Minister informed that Government will soon declare its Marine Protected Areas. He said in this regard United Nations can guide the Ministry of Climate Change on best practices in the world.

ZEHRI

Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri has vowed not to allow terrorists to establish safe heavens in the province.

He expressed these views while inquiring into the health of security forces personnel at CMH Quetta, who sustained wounds during an encounter with terrorists in Mastung.

The Chief Minister said that dens of terrorists will be destroyed with the cooperation of security forces and no one will be allowed to challenge writ of the government.

He lauded the security forces for successfully conducting operation against the terrorists. He also announced a cash reward of 20 million rupees for law enforcement agencies’ personnel who took part in the Mastung operation.

IHK

Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Syed Ali Gilani, has said that India’s insensitivity is the sole reason for unabated bloodshed in occupied Kashmir the territory as Indian forces’ personnel are mercilessly killing the youth.

In a statement issued in Srinagar Syed Ali Gilani said that Indian authorities wanted to create appalling situation in held territory and they had set forth their strategy to justify the use of lethal weapons against unarmed and innocent youth.

Meanwhile, the joint resistance leadership has asked the people to stage peaceful demonstrations on Friday against the raids by Indian National Investigation Agency on the residences and offices of Hurriyet leaders and activists.

The leadership, in a statement issued in Srinagar said that Kashmiri people and leadership would continue their struggle for securing their right to self-determination.

The statement said that India has completely failed in crushing the people’s revolt in the held valley.

UN-PALESTINE

The U.N. human rights chief, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein has said ending Israel's occupation of Palestinian areas was essential for peace.

In his speech to human rights council on Tuesday, he said Palestinians are suffering for a half-century under occupation.

AFGHANISTAN

Afghan president Ashraf Ghani has again invited the Taliban to peace talks.

In his opening remarks at a peace Conference in Kabul on Tuesday, Ashraf Ghani urged Taliban to give up insurgency and join the political process.

A gathering of 23 nations, the EU, U.N. and NATO is discussing security and political issues in Afghanistan.

HOOK-UP:

Radio Pakistan in its national hook-up at 1605 hours on Tuesday will broadcast a special talk entitled "YOUM-E-BABUL ISLAM".